The Gupta family said they have their own version of the claims made in the state capture report and will present these once a commission of inquiry‚ as recommended by the former public protector‚ has been established.
Speaking to TMG Digital on Thursday‚ Gert van der Merwe‚ the lawyer representing the Guptas‚ said they welcomed the report.
“I have read the whole report and in my humble view‚ it boils down to the recommendations made by Thuli Madonsela that a judge be appointed and investigate‚” he said.
“We are happy [with the recommendation]. We have always wanted an opportunity to present our version on the allegations. There is nothing in this report that is a surprise.
“We are obviously implicated. It’s always been our case that we have a version. Hear what our version is and‚ if we are wrong‚ punish us.”
The state capture report was report was released on Wednesday following a Pretoria High Court order which directed Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane to release it before 5pm.
The judgment came after President Jacob Zuma decided withdraw his application to interdict the release of the report.
Van der Merwe had earlier told eNCA that “if you look at report‚ you will find 200 pages of 350 consist of evidence collated by public protector without the participation of the family or Gupta-owned entity‚ and now we have opportunity to collate our bundle and present our facts to a judge”.
Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng is to appoint a judge to head the commission of inquiry.
The report implicated a number of senior government officials and their relationship with the influential Gupta family. Among them were Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Des van Rooyen‚ Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane‚ Eskom CEO Brian Molefe and President Jacob Zuma’s son‚ Duduzane.
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